Automatic can feeding means



* June 18, 1946. J. s. BAKR AUTOMATIC CAN FEEDING MEANS Filed July 1, 1944 2 VSheets-Sheet l A TTOKNEYS.

EMF

Jpne 1s, 1946. 154, BAKER 2,402,144

' AUTOMATICl CAN FEEDING MEANS Fileduly 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TToeA/Ers Patented June 18, 1'946 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic can feeding and discharging means for cooking or cooling machinery for processing foods in containers such as used in the food canning industry, the Ypresent invention being an improvement on the machine shown in my copending application Serial No. 343,030, filed June 28, 1940, which discloses a cooker in which cans are fed into and discharged from the processing chamber in rows, the rows being rolled through the chamber in pockets formed between cross-bars extending between parallel endless chains which are actuated in a step-b|ystep movement from the drive shaft.

In machines of this type the canway within the chamber must 'be of sufficient height to permit passage therethrough of the largest cans; therefore, the distance from the discharge outlet of the feeding means to the bottom of the canway in cookers heretofore constructed is necessarily so great that if small cans are being processed along with large cans, when the feeding means releases a row of cans the small cans will drop out of the outlet of the feeding means, as same opens, into the bottom of the canway before the large cans can pass therethrough, and the abutting large cans in the row will thereafter drop on top of the small cans, instead of between same, thus causing jamming of the cans at the feeding means. Moreover, if glass or frangible containers are being processed, such drop may cause breakage thereof,

Therefore, one object of my invention is to provide an aligning means within the processing Q chamber, intermediate the outlet of the feeding means and the bottom of the canway, whereby when a row of cans of different sizes is released from the feeding means same will of necessity align themselves on said aligning means before being lowered or dropped onto the bottom of the canway, thus eliminating the aforesaid jamming.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof, to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts. for which protection is desired.

In said drawings- Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine on line -I, Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionA through the machine on the line 2--2, Fig. 1, with the adjacent end of the conveyor chain and sprocket wheels removed to better show the can aligning means.

Fig. 3 is an end View of the split bushing in which the feed valve rotates, and showing the adjusting screws which cooperate therewith.

As shown, the cooker comprises a horizontally disposed chamber I, with doors 2, at each end. A flat canway 3-3a on which the cans C are rolled is supported therein by side legs 4. Endless chains 5 are disposed at each side of canway 3-3a, said chains running on tracks 5e and over sprockets 6, can pusher cross-bars 'I extending between the chains 5 across the canway 3-3a with their ends attached to chains 5. The above construction forms a can conveyor with longitudinal can pockets formed between the cross-bars 'I, each pocket being adapted to take a row of cans C from the feeding means and to move said row along canway 3-3a, to the discharging means. Sprockets 6 are keyed on shafts 8 and 8m, shaft 8.1: being the drive shaft. A can guide 9 is provided at the transfer end of the upper canway 3 to hold the cans C in the conveyor can pockets during transfer onto the lower canway 3a. Steam pipes I0 serve to boil the water in the bottom of the chamber to generate steam in the chamber for cooking the canned foods.

'I'he feed and discharge valves and tubes and `the entire valve construction are identical, and therefore explanation of one will also explain the other.v Ordinary light weight inexpensive stock tubing or piping I0 of required diameter is used, the tubes I0 being cut to required length. Flanges I I are Welded to each end of tube I0 so that heads I2 may be removably secured thereto, such as by bolts I3. Longitudinal can ports IIJa and IIlb, long enough to admit and dis-charge a row of cans therethrough are provided in the top and bottom of each tube I 0 respectively. The tubes I0 are then bodily welded into slots in the chamber I as hereinafter described.

In the top of chamber I is a transverse rectanguiar opening Ia of less width than the diameter of the tube I 0, and each side wal1 of the chamber is recessed as at Ib to receive and confor with the curvature of tube I0 and thereby align the tube and its related valve with the canway 3--3a and conveyor 5, 'I on the chamber I. The tube I0 is bodily welded onto the chamber around the openings and recesses Ia--Ib of said chamber as shown, thus making the tube I0 and chamber I practically unitary with a permanent steam-tight joint therebetween, the connection requiring practically no machine work. Tube I 0 extends beyond each side of chamber I to give access to the bolts I3 so that the heads I2 may be removed when necessary to pull out the valve I4 or its bushing I5. Bushing I (Fig. 3) is tted within tube Il) between the heads I2 (Fig. 2) and longitudinal can ports corresponding in size and shape to ports Ita and Iiib are also cut in the bushing I5 and aligned with the said ports in tube Il), in order that a row o cans C may pass through the bushing I5 in the feed tube. Bushing I5 is split longitudinally at its top as at 25e (Figs. 1 and 3) and set screws I5d tapped through tube il) at opposite sides of said split IEC for closing the bushing (as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3) around the' feed valve lli to compensate for wear on the valve Ill due to rotation. This bushing I5 may be split and sprung as shown in Fig. 3, or may be made or formed in halves or the like. The lower or discharge valve I6 requires no adjustment, and hence its bushing I5 need not be split or compressible.

The lowerl or discharge valve tube Iii is welded y in the end of the water compartment in the bottom of chamber I, Fig. 1, the tube serving as the end of this part of the chamber, and narrowing the extending front end of the chamber and the related door 2, thus reducing the size of said door 2 and the steam pressure on the door joint, also reducing the weight and cost of said door 2. Since the lower tube lil serves as an end for the water compartment, the cost yof a separate end plate is also eliminated.

The can feed and discharge valves I4 are both full oating, or have their bearings entirely in their related bushings I5; therefore the entire length of each valve I 4 and its related bushing I5 is subject to valve operation wear. Valves It are cscillated by stub shafts I6 (Fig. 2) carrying yokes Il on their inner ends which fit over the can pockets of valves I4 as shown in Fig. 2. Pinions I8 are keyed on the other ends of shafts I and mesh with a master spur gear I9 driven in any desired manner from the main drive-shaft of the cooker (not shown).

A can rest 2G is provided upon which a row of cans C are aligned after dropping a short distance out of the outlet of feed valve I4 (Fig. l), can rest 2li remaining momentarily in its upper position shown in Fig. 1 until feed valve lll has completely opened and the entire row of cans C discharged therefrom are resting on canv rest which aligns the rows. Can rest 20 is then lowered to the bottom of the upper canway 3, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. At each end of can rest 2S are side support plates 2l (Figs. 1 and 2) fixedly secured as by welding on swingable bars 22 having one end pivoted on a shaft 23 having end bearings in one of the pairs of legs 4. Can rest 2d may thus swing up and down between the can pusher bars l, and side chains 5, same pivoting on shaft 23; and can-rest 20 prevents the smaller cans C in a row dropping to the bottom of the canway 3 ahead of the larger cans as the feed valve Iii is opening slowly to release a row of cans. Other means however may be substituted for dropping the row of cans C out of the valve pocket I4 to the bottom of the canway 3, after being aligned.

A rod 24 (Figs. 1 and 2) extends through side plates 2 I, and a link 25 is provided adjacent each end of rod 2li. Each link 25 is freely connected at its other end to a parallel rod 2B so as to be freely swingable on both rods 24 and 2S. Rod 26 is carried by the outer ends of arms 2l keyed on rocker shaft 28 which is journaled in bearings in a pair of parallel legs d. On one end of shaft 23 beyond the leg 4, is keyed an arm 29 (Fig. 2) with a wrist pin 30 in the outer end, and a link 3| connects pin 3o to the pawl arm of the main conveyor ratchet drive (not shown) of shaft 89:, said ratchet drive being preferably but not neces sarily similar to that disclosed in myl copending application Serial No. 343,240, led June 28, 1940, aforementioned, same driving the conveyor chains 5 with a step-by-step movement. As the pawl arm oscillates it simultaneously rocks shaft 28 and swings the can rest 22 up and down through links 25. However, shaft 2S may be rocked by any other desired means.

I do not limit my invention to the exact form shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character specified; a chamber, a canway therein; automatic can feeding means for feeding a row of cans into the canway; a conveyor having longitudinal can pockets extending across said canway adapted to receive a row of cans from. the feeding means and move them therealong; aligning means adapted to be normally raised within said conveyor can pockets intermediate said feeding means and bottom of said canway for aligning a row of cans therein released from said feeding means; means for actuating said aligning means to lower a row of aligned cans thereon into position within said oonveyor can pocket aligned with ther canway; and means for actuating said feeding means and conveyor.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said aligning means including a longitudinal rest on which a row of cans is aligned; bars extending from said rest, said bars being pivoted at one end; means for swinging said bars up and down on said pivots to position a row of cans in said cann way pocket; and means for actuating said means.

`3. In a machine of the character specified; a chamber, a canway therein; automatic can feecling means for feeding a row of cans into the canway; conveyor means having longitudinal can pockets extending across said canway adapted to receive a row of cans from the feeding means and move them therealong; aligning means normally elevated within said conveyor can pockets while the conveyor means is stationary and disposed intermediate said feeding means and bottom of said canway for receiving and aligning a row of cans released from said feeding means; means for actuating said aligning means to lower said row of aligned cans into position in said conveyor can pocket aligned with the canway; and means for actuating said feeding means and conveyor.

4. In a machine as set forth in claim 3, said aligning means including a longitudinal rest on which a row of cans is aligned; bars extending from said rest and pivoted at one end for swinging said rest up and down on said pivots to position a row of cans in said canway pocket; and means for actuating said rest.

JOI-IN S. BAKER. 

